The Chargers made some history Sunday, and they did it, in all places, San Diego.

The Nielsen TV rating for the Chargers-Dolphins game on KFMB Channel 8 was measured at 12.3. That’s the lowest rating for a Chargers game in this market since at least 1998, according to Union-Tribune records, which date back to the start of the 1999 season.

The previous low in that time came on Dec. 10, 2000, when a Chargers-Ravens game in Baltimore earned a 13.9 rating. Another game earlier that season, at St. Louis, had a 14.0 rating. The average rating for that season (when the Chargers finished 1-15) was 17.9, the only time between 1999-2016 that the average was below 20.

Sunday’s rating was about 53 percent lower than the 26.2 number for a Week 2 Sunday afternoon game last year between the Chargers and Jaguars, although it should be noted there was no other NFL game on TV at the same time a year ago. On Sunday, the local Fox affiliate aired a game between Dallas and Denver, which had a 7.2 rating.

From 2004-14, the average season rating for local Chargers telecasts ranged between 26.0 (2007) and 31.6 (2010). With talk of the Chargers possibly leaving San Diego, combined with the team losing most of its games, the average dropped to 25.6 in 2015 and 24.4 in 2016.

The San Diego rating for last Monday’s season opener on ESPN was 17.7. In previous years, games played in that time slot (7:20 p.m. on the first Monday of the season) had ranged between 36 and 38 (although they also were simulcast on broadcast TV, which gets higher ratings).

What did the NFL expect when the Chargers were uprooted from their home in San Diego and planted in a city littered with professional sports teams?

Los Angeles’ newest NFL team is desperately pushing for fans to buy tickets to Sunday’s home opener against the Dolphins, with over 3,000 tickets still on the market as of this week.

The lack of interest in the Chargers is more concerning when you consider they’re playing at least the next three years in the StubHub Center, a soccer stadium most prominently used for the MLS’ LA Galaxy that seats 27,000. For reference, the neighboring Memorial Coliseum, where the Rams have set up shop until the two join forces in a brand new complex in 2020, has a seating capacity of 93,600.

While the Rams aren’t immune to hearing crickets during their games, they have generated far more interest since relocating from St. Louis in 2015. For instance, the Rams sold their season tickets within six hours upon release, according to Forbes, whereas the Chargers took over a month to reach that mark since announcing their packages last winter. The Rams setting up shop first and their history with the city — they played in LA from 1946-’94 before leaving for St. Louis — no doubt help their situation.
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A lot (but not all) of those fans that did not watch are permanently gone. It won't matter if the Chargers win or not up in LA. They gone. Out of towners fail to realize how much San Diegans dislike LA in general. I've been saying that for a while, and people who don't live here were telling me I am wrong. I'm not.

The saddest part about their new home debut was they lost to a team quarterbacked by Jay Cutler.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrbanwal

Ya say something enough times and I guess you end up getting quoted somewhere. LMAO! I must have posted at least 10 Spanos hate posts/day for the last 8.5 months. I think the media are taking bigtime notice.....Spanos will regret moving to a media market.....he's under the gun now, he's gotta be feeling the heat. Hopefully NFL will take notice as well, don't see how they cannot.

BTW these forums are read by media types everyday and I think now that Spanos is a target for derision the SD/Bolt forums will be even more under the microscope. What SignGuy did was AWESOME. Let Spanos have it folks.......the whole world is watching.....or at least some east coast media and certain NFL employees and owners have to be aware of the stuff we are throwing out there. Maybe Spanos will embarass the NFL and himself so much they'll ask him to move back or sell. Better yet, ask him to sell first so someone else can move back.

Thanks for the credit there DE!!! GO SAN DIEGO!!!!!!!

BTW the NY Post censored some of my Sig from BoltTalk.......it does desribe me as an inaugural Bolt Fan Since 1962....but the dumbass Post left off the most important item....right after that I have "FUDEAN". Ha ha ha.

A lot (but not all) of those fans that did not watch are permanently gone. It won't matter if the Chargers win or not up in LA. They gone. Out of towners fail to realize how much San Diegans dislike LA in general. I've been saying that for a while, and people who don't live here were telling me I am wrong. I'm not.

You are not wrong. I watched for the trainwreck soul sucking loss. They did not disappoint. I was happy. A good day.

THIS is huge. Personally I have not turned on the TV ONCE for a Bolt game this season. I'm not gonna give em ratings. There are other ways to keep track of the game if you want, e.g. nfl.com gamecenter and just watch the play by play. This is particularly significant because it is 2 games that were big in terms of expectancy for television viewership, the first MNF and first game of the season, the 2nd the home opener. Way to go San Diego!

SD is it's own market. The NFL will HAVE to take notice if those historically low ratings persist. Add the complete failure to draw LA fans.....maybe 15K max were LA Bolt fans at that game, rest MIA fans. This is gonna blow up in Dean's face if it continues. Hope it does. Best way to get that a hole out of there as owner and, who knows?, maybe a new owner would see the futility of staying in LA and consider SD if he can get enough backers to pitch in for a stadium.

Also, if Aztecs can pull thru in the clutch this year and garner support of the entire city and it's fans....maybe they provide impetus to get a decent stadium in MV and further demonstrate that San Diego is a GREAT football town.

Either way....please San Diegans.....turn off the tube whenever Spanos plays. Pitch in. Make him pay. Just a suggestion, not a demand. Keep those ratings plummeting. GO SAN DIEGO!